


One Night

by CringeAmF



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Android! Reader, M/M, Male! reader - Freeform, My first fic that I post publicly, Ok this sucks, Requested by a friend, enjoy (:, perhaps, planning to Add more to this, ralph is cute no cap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-14
Updated: 2019-11-14
Packaged: 2021-01-30 10:20:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21426616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CringeAmF/pseuds/CringeAmF
Summary: You are a domestic android, simply serving your married owners. Months go by, and new member of the family is expected.One night, your life changed, and it was time to discover who you really were.
Relationships: Ralph (Detroit: Become Human)/Reader, Ralph (Detroit: Become Human)/You
Comments: 1
Kudos: 42





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> WORD COUNT: 5.9K
> 
> I’m extremely nervous lmao.
> 
> Firstly, excuse the title. I’m so bad at them. 
> 
> Secondlt, this is my first fic that I’ve posted to a public site, and gee, is it nerve-wracking. (at least for me it is.)   
It started out as a joke for fun, then turned into 5,900 words of something. I hope anyone who reads this enjoys it. 
> 
> (I am planning on adding onto it soon, too! But for now, it’ll be a two-shot)

November 2038

**6:58 P.M. **

It was nearing 7 PM, and you had yet you begin preparing for Charlie and Katherine’s dinner. You weren’t in a hurry to do so, either; you had lots of time until they arrived. While you were away, you had done your job of washing dishes, cleaning the house, doing the laundry, and ventilated the house. Those tasks were completed exactly at 4:34 PM, leaving you with little to do when you were done.

So, you sat on a couch and began to read.

Initially, you never took the spare time to read or partake in other engaging activities. Whenever you were done with your work, you would report it to Katherine or Charlie to receive further orders. When finding out there was nothing to be done, you would stand stiffly behind the couch, or near the living room entrance, waiting for instruction. You remember, on one particularly uneventful afternoon, Katherine turned in her seat and stared at you.

“Y/N,” She had said, catching your attention. “Why do you stand there like that?

You answered honestly, face neutral. “I’m waiting for instructions. Since there is nothing left to do, I figured that I wait until there is something that needs to be done.”

Katherine raised her eyebrow, the downwards twist of the corners of her lips telling you that she was displeased at your response. She closed her book after marking her page and faced you. “Why don’t you go do something to keep you occupied, then?”

You cocked your head, unsure of what she meant. “I’m afraid I don’t understand.”

“You could draw, maybe paint. Or, you could sit down, grab a book, and read with me. Join me in a board game, even? I bet I’d just lose every round.” She said the last words with a smirk on her face, knowing that it was true. You _would_ win every round.

Your LED yellowed while you processed her words, then spun back into stationary blue as you straightened your already perfect posture. “Okay, what do you suggest?”

She gave a small smile and turned in her seat. “Dunno. That’s on you, Y/N.” Then, she opened her book and continued reading, leaving you to decide for yourself. You considered the options she had given you, which left you conflicted. You weren’t used to doing things without having specific instructions. The grin on her face as she read hinted that she was like she was testing you as if she _wanted_ you to make your own decision. You briefly toyed with the thought, before deciding that it was silly. Perhaps, you made Katherine uncomfortable from standing near her.

“I am sorry if I caused you any discomfort, Katherine.”

She snickered, shaking her head and glancing at you. It made you cock your head and she let out a louder snicker at your cluelessness. “You’re silly. Go on, now.”

For a moment, you eyed Katherine and her book before finally settled on what you would do. You walked to the bookshelf, grabbing the nearest book you saw and returned to sit on the couch, a small distance away from Katherine. You copied her, but she seemed satisfied enough, so you opened your book and started reading.

You thought little of it at the time. You were just doing as told; finding something to do. But since then, you’ve discovered that you enjoyed reading books. The fact that you found yourself looking forward to whenever you had free hours was strange. You enjoyed the author’s perspectives, how they perceived certain topics, how their characters perceived their world. It was your newfound hobby, a hobby that your female owner greatly encouraged.

And now, as much as you would’ve preferred to move onto the next chapter, you had to prepare dinner. You closed your book, put it where it belonged, and walked to the kitchen. 

\-----------

They had come home just on time. You were finished with dinner and preparing the food just as he walked in, lighter footsteps padding pass him and to another room. He paused near the door for a second, loosening his tie.

“Good evening, Charlie.” You greeted, turning to wash and return the remaining pots and pans into the cabinets. Two plates of hot food laid on the counter. Specifically, tacos. “The two of you came just as I was finished. Tacos, just the way you like them."

“Hello, Y/N. Gosh, that smells good,” He looked over your shoulder, smiling at the food. “Kathy’s got you whipping up some cultural food, huh? Does she have all of those recipes lodged into your hardware?”

“Of course I do.” A light voice answered for you. The two of you set your eyes on Katherine, who seemingly came in out of nowhere “I like tasting different foods. It’s what I do to add some spice in our lives, sweetheart.” Katherine leans up and pecks Charlie’s cheek. Charlie grins at his wife, saying that no android can make better tacos than she can, and sits down in his seat. By then, you have already set down both of their plates and you’re moving to pour them drinks when Katherine sits, then stretches in her seat.

“One thing I hate about this,” She taps on her enlarged belly, “My bladder is always going to explode. Second, these damned cramps.” Her voice is strained as she places a hand on her back. Charlie reaches over and takes her hand in his, gazing at her with adoration. You smiled at the scene before turning around to clean up.

“You’ll be alright, Kathy. I’ll massage your back after dinner, eat your food before it gets cold.”

“That’s a funny way of telling me to shut up,” Katherine laughed. Their banter ended as they dug in.

You spoke up through the sounds of the running sink, “Would you like it if I ran you a bath, Katherine?” 

“Please. Thank you, Y/N.” You heard the thankfulness in her voice, making a small smile reach your face.

November 2038

**9:12 PM**

You walked through the house’s dimly lit hallway, a fresh blanket in your arms as you made your way towards Charlie and Katherine’s room. It was late; time for you to bid your married masters goodnight. As you neared their door, a silent conversation became clearer to hear. You stopped at their door and looked through the open crack.

The TV was on, and from what you could see and hear, a news reporter was addressing the homicide of a man who was found dead inside of his own home. Katherine sat on the bed with her head in her hands, while Charlie stood with his attention on the screen. There was tension hanging between the couple as the channel continued. The newsman revealed that it had been the man’s android who committed the murder, Katherine raked a hand through her hair. Charlie seemed more than upset, commanding the TV off and pointedly staring at Katherine.

Katherine avoided her husband’s eyes, keeping a palm against her cheek. She broke the silence, and the sound of her voice made your eyebrows furrow and your LED go yellow. It was tired, irritated, and she sounded like she was in denial. “I don’t even know why the hell you’re looking at me like that.” She said, her tone harsh.

“Kathy, you know what I want.”

“Why?” She said it right away, and with the way exasperation fell over Charlie’s face, you concluded that Katherine _knew_ why. But what were they talking about? Half of you felt like you should be respectful and come back in another ten minutes, but something kept you there, kept you stuck watching your owners.

“It’s an old model, Kathy. We can upgrade to a better one.” And you understood in an instant.

Charlie wanted to replace you.

The realization caused you to be hit with a wave of _something._ It made you draw in a sharp, unneeded breath. Something foreign pooled inside of you as you exhaled, leaning in to see Katherine’s reaction, and—for some reason—you found yourself greatly preferring the thought of her disagreeing with Charlie.

“But _why?_ Why _him?” _She didn’t seem fond of the idea of you being replaced, it caused that pooling feeling inside you to decrease a comforting amount.

“Kathy,” He said, softly, lowering himself to sit next to his wife. His hand found her shoulder, rubbing it only for Katherine to scoot away. “Don’t be like this, Kathy_. It’s_ a machine, and it’s an old machine. Getting something newer will help both of us…”

“Charlie, he isn’t merchandise! He isn’t some damn computer, he—”

Charlie raised his voice, spreading his hands. “It’s a machine! Look at you, Kath, you’re attached. You’re calling it a ‘he’. It even said it liked to read! Machines don’t _like_ things, Kath.”

A beat of silence.

“… That’s why you don’t want him?” Her voice lowered, becoming strangely quiet. “Because I gave him something to do? You don’t want him because he likes to read? Are you serious?”

“Kath, machines don’t _like_ things, they—”

“Maybe he isn’t just a goddamn machine!” She stood, disgust contorting her face as she backed away from Charlie. Charlie followed her. “Maybe he _wants._” She looked at Charlie with desperation. 

“You hear about that deviant business, Kath, it’s getting out of control,” He gestured to the door as if he knew you were there._ “Androids _are getting out of control. We’ll be safer with a newer model.”

“Y/N won’t hurt us! What the fuck do you not understand, Charlie? Are you deaf? He _won’t_ hurt us. He won’t.” Katherine looked down, putting a hand on her stomach. “We have a baby on the way, Charles, and Y/N’s been s_o_ supportive. You can’t throw him out—"

“Look, we’re getting a new model, and that’s it!” Charlie raised his voice, and something inside of you _flared_ when Katherine’s face became pinched, her lip quivered. 

It wasn’t fair. Katherine doesn’t deserve to be yelled at.

“I’ll have it ordered by Thursday.” He turned away, voice level as Katherine let out a choked sob and your Thirium pump hitched in such a manner you received an alert in the corner of your vision. You brushed it off, unfocused on it as Katherine said something else that sounded like, “I can’t believe you,” and turned to storm off.

In your direction.

You were frozen for two seconds too long and were face-to-face with Katherine, red with anger and eyes glossy with tears. You stepped back, perplexed, watching as her eyes trailed over your face. It was then that you became aware of the frown you were making. Instead of saying something, she averted her gaze and pushed past you. Looking back into their room, you saw Charlie sitting on the bed with his head in his hands. You wondered if he was feeling guilt. You opened your mouth, but closed it, turning to follow Katherine.

\-----

Katherine’s voice was hoarse when you stopped in front of her seat on the couch. “Hey, Y/N,” She said in a sigh. “I’m sorry about that argument. M’sorry that you had to hear it.” 

You reassured her, speaking with a soft voice. “It’s not your fault, Katherine, it’s okay. I have the blanket you requested earlier.”

She ignored the blanket, looking up with a pained expression. “But it’s not okay. It’s not okay at all,” You expected her to move past it when you apologized, but she pressed on. Looking down at her lap, she said, “You don’t deserve to be talked down on like that.” 

Your lips thinned and you shook your head, setting down the blanket next to her. “I assure you that it’s alright, and I am grateful you defended me, but I’m sure he has his reasonings.” Silence followed your words. “Do you need anything else?” She shook her head, thought for a bit, then nodded.

“Could you get me some ibuprofen from the kitchen? My head hurts.” She paused, putting her hand against her head, “And a pillow. I’m sleeping here tonight.”

You obliged, excusing yourself with a, “Right away, Katherine,” and walked into the kitchen. Opening the medicine’s cabinet, your hands scanned each bottle in search of the pain reliever, but it was nowhere to be found. Neither was the Tylenol. There was only cough medicine, but Katherine didn’t have a cough. You closed the cabinet and turned, with a new objective on your task list; go to the store and get what Katherine needs.

Entering the living room with a spare pillow, you set it down next to Katherine, who had wrapped herself in her blanket. “There isn’t any Ibuprofen or Tylenol, but if you’d like, I could go to the store and buy some.”

She didn’t reply, instead, she stared ahead at nothing. She snapped out of her thoughts and looked up when you repeated her name. “Hm? Oh, okay. Sure." She still didn’t seem fully there. She must have been upset.

You leaned down, trying to catch her eye. “Are you alright? You seem preoccupied.”

Katherine nodded, then shifted, taking the pillow in her arms and hugging it close. “I’m okay, I guess this headache isn’t helping my mood.” You nodded, about to leave when a hand grasped onto the fabric of your shirt. You paused, turning your head to meet Katherine’s eye. “You know, Charlie didn’t mean all that. He doesn’t hate you. If he did, you would’ve been gone a long time ago. It’s, just… he wants us to be safe. And with everything going on in the news, it puts him on edge.” She leaned over and took your hand in hers, her tone reassuring—she sounded so sure. “I’ll convince him not to replace you, ‘kay? You aren’t some toaster that can be replaced at any time. This uniform,” Her eyes pointed to your white uniform that stated your model and serial number, “doesn’t define who you are. I trust you, and the little one does too.”

The seemingly out of nowhere explanation stunned you into silence. You didn’t expect her to bring it up again, to care so much. You felt fluttery, from the gentle touch of her palm against yours, to the loving gaze her eyes held. Your mouth hung slightly agape, your LED yellowing for a moment.

This motherly affection was for _you. _She saw you as a _person_, a living being.

_Not a machine._

“I… alright, Katherine. Thank you.” Giving your hand one last squeeze, she let go. You regained your composure and turned, exiting the room.

“Hey,” She called out, causing you to look back with a raised eyebrow. “Be careful out there.”


	2. on god no cap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> lmao heyyy this 1 is long. snowy cant read xd

It seemed darker when you exited the store, and emptier as you walked down the street. When you felt the strong bursts of wind fly by, and the rain hit your face, you understood why. It was no wonder that Detroit would be a little emptier on a rainy, windy night. You walked with slight haste, intending to return to your owner. A breeze passed, though it was much softer compared to the harsh breezes tonight had to offer. It made the fallen leaves dance and twirl. You were captivated in the show of amber and yellow, watching as red leaves joined the performance, you hadn’t realized you stopped walking. The breeze passed, and all the dancing leaves began falling to the ground again, right as you collided with a hard surface.

You snapped your head forward, looking at what—or who—had just run into you. Black fabric, a little fuzzy, worn by a man who stared at you with annoyance written all over his features. Your instinct was to apologize, but before you could say a word, you were pushed back.

“Hey, why don’t you watch where the hell you’re going?”

The man was irritated, but as you looked over his shoulder, you realized that he wasn’t alone. Another man stood behind him, sharing a similar attire to the man who’d just pushed you; black coat, jeans, a beanie; overall raggedy appearance. The man who you had run into suddenly got in your face again, his bloodshot eyes bulging.

“I said, watch where the fuck you’re going, tin-can!” He shoved you again, causing you to trip on your own feet and lose balance. Before you could regain yourself, he grabbed your collar and threw you against the wall of a building. Fat, strong hands gripped your collars and his forearms pinned you against the wall, rendering you unable to move. He leaned in close, his hot breath against your face. “You fuckin’ androids, impolite pieces of plastic, all of ya’.”

You couldn’t even speak. The predatory look of_ hatred, _it left you speechless.

He turned his head and looked at his friend, smiling a yellow-toothed smile. “Look at this little shit. Bastard can’t even speak. Can’t feel anythin’ either, all the more reasons to make me beat its ass.” The grin on his face disappeared and he shook you. “ANSWER ME!!”

“I’m sorry, sir, I should have been more aware of my surroundings, I—" A fist collided with your abdomen before you could finish. The force of the blow had you doubling over and landing on your knees. You were picked up just to be flung again, your face scraping hard against the pavement. Your back hit the ground this next time, giving you a full view as they started to kick at your abdomen. They were damaging you. If they kept this up, it would result in you shutting down.

You didn’t want to shut down.

_You didn’t want to die._

“Stop it!! Stop, please!! DON’T HURT ME!” You screamed, your voice shrill. They were relentless, your desperate cries only edging them on. You couldn’t feel physical pain, but you thought this new, emotional torment was as close as you would ever get.

You were _s_o_ scared._

Your legs flailed, kicking _something_ as the man yelped and shied away. Acting fast, you rolled over and attempted to stand. The man’s friend seized your arm midway and threw you against the wall and you dodged your head just before his fist crashed with your face. It hit the brick wall instead, the pops of his knuckles loud and disgusting. You escaped his grasp as he screamed. Knowing you had minimal time before they’d get up again, you bolted.

You had two options: Cross the street or continue running down the long sidewalk.

Continuing your sprint down the sidewalk means that you would be in sight when they got up. They’d surely be after you, but they’d get exhausted. You were an android; you had the stamina they didn’t have. You could run, run, and run, and you’d be able to lose them. You were going to go with that option, _going to, _until you looked over your shoulder, panic spiking when you saw them chasing after you.

You had no time to think; you took a sharp turn and sprinted off across the street, running as fast as you could.

\----------------

You walked in a hurry, head snapping to look behind you ever so often whenever you heard a noise. Here was no reason to keep running; those humans had stopped chasing you. Paranoia and fear kept you going long enough to stop at a bus stop. You were driven off fear now. You needed to get away. You’d be attacked again if you didn’t. Your gaze followed a bus that was hissing to a stop for you. Glancing around once more, you entered.

Now, you stood in the android compartment, eyes staring out the windows. You watched the neighborhoods, how some seemed to be in better shape over others. Watching the crumbled, small apartment buildings that seemed cracked at each edge, you found yourself thinking about your owners.

The second you walked out of that CyberLife store with them, she was kind, introducing herself and her yet-to-be husband. Katherine was supportive when showing you around their house, striking up conversations with you daily, and she vented whenever she had a bad day. Katherine trusted you like no human has before. She treated you like a person, as a friend.

You didn’t like the thought of leaving her.

You lifted your head when the bus stopped, meeting the driver’s gaze.

“End of the line.” He said bluntly.

“… End of the line?”

“End of the line,” He repeated, “gotta get off.”

You inhaled and nodded, turning to leave. “Wait a minute,” Looking back at him, you watched his eyebrows draw in suspicion. Oh, no. He was going to stop you from leaving. He was going to report you to the police. Would you be returned to Katherine? Would you be destroyed? Scenarios flew through your head when gave a long stare at your clothes, dirtied and damp from the mud and rain. Seconds passed and he sniffed, shaking his head. “Never mind.”

He cocked his head at the exit, and you took that as your cue to leave, shoulders tense until his gaze could no longer follow you.

You scanned your surroundings, slowly walking along the sidewalk. A hotel that charged $40 a night. That was an immediate no; you had no money.

A store sat in the distance, but you were hesitant of going in. You were damaged and your uniform was dirty. If you tried to ask for help, you were sure that the cashier would feel uncomfortable. Shaking your head, you continued your aimless wander, scanning for any possible place you could hide in.

The entrance was shallow, but a bit of maneuvering allowed you to squeeze your body through and into the yard of a seemingly abandoned house. Along the outside, there were patches of gray in spots where the paint had worn off, graffiti done in some of these spots. You walked, peeking around the corner of the house and the empty porch. You stopped at the front door and reached out to twist the doorknob glad it was unlocked. It was an old house, after all, surely no one had been messing with it.

The house’s best quality was that it was stable. Stable, but messy. Bright red graffiti welcomed you when you took your first hesitant steps into the dark house. The wallpaper was worn, every object seemed to be covered in its own layer of dust, the windows were boarded up, papers lying about on the floor. As bad as it looked, you felt safer here. You felt less vulnerable. You felt.

You were overwhelmed with sudden realization.

You felt.

Androids weren’t supposed to _feel. _But you did. You’ve felt fear tonight, you’ve felt love for Katherine, a woman who called you a friend. It was like you opened your eyes for the first time. You could see. You weren’t just a machine designed to serve humans. No, not anymore.

_You were alive._

And the realization felt good, so good.

Then, you were pushed against the wall for the second time this night.

A yelp died in your throat as you felt a cold, sharp tip against your neck. You sharply inhaled, limbs rigid as your eyes darted across your attacker’s face. The entire left side of this man’s face sported a deep gash, running down from his hairline, to his cheek, and ending at his chin. It was horrific. The pulsing red LED did nothing to calm your tremors, even if he was also an android. His hand, smooth and plastic-like, gripped around your arm like a vice; you wouldn’t be able to escape if you tried.

“A visitor. Ralph doesn’t like visitors, they’re dangerous.” His sudden voice ripped you from your thoughts. He spoke fast, eyes trained on you.

You stuttered as the knife was brought closer to your face, fear welling up inside of you. “P-please… put the knife down.” You didn’t dare make any sudden movements. When you spoke, his eyes flickered to yours. One of his eyes suffered along with the left of his face, completely pitch black in the darkness.

“The visitor may hurt Ralph if he does. No, no… Ralph doesn’t want to be hurt.” His LED blinked for a second, remaining in its angry red glare.

“Look! I’m an android, too.” You inched your hand up—slowly, as to not further provoke him—until it was in his line of sight. When his eyes flickered to your hand, you willed the synthetic skin away, revealing the white endoskeleton underneath. “See? I won’t hurt you, I promise.”

“The visitor promises?” His voice held a great amount of caution and he barely moved the knife from your cheek. “The visitor is still a visitor, and visitors are bad.”

Sensing his distrust, you looked him in the eyes, tone firm. “You have my word.” He silenced, the blade unmoving for several, agonizing seconds. Then, the blade slowly moved away from your face. You stood still despite feeling the urge to run. “There you go. I’m a good visitor, there is nothing to worry about.”

His arm fell limp at his side, LED lulling into a yellow. You slumped slightly against the wall, feeling relief. You didn’t miss the way his eyes darted to the floor, avoiding eye contact. “You must excuse Ralph. His fear makes him do things he regrets; he becomes stupid. He’s scared that the humans will harm him again… look what they did to Ralph,” He turned his head, giving you an eyeful of the scar. He glanced up at you, voice laced with guilt. “Ralph understands if the nice visitor wants to leave.”

This was it. This was your chance to make a run for it, but for some unknown reason, you couldn’t will your legs to move. But why? The android in front of you had the strength to kill you, he almost did. You were powerless compared to him. Running away was logical, but what held you back?

The way he looked down at the floor, the way his voice quieted down to a shameful whimper, he reminded you of a wounded puppy, skittish and only trying to defend himself. He had been greatly traumatized in his past, said by the way he spoke in third person, his face. You felt bad for him. He had been hurt, now he’s scared that he’ll be hurt again.

“I’ll stay.”

Your words made his face light up. He bounced on his feet, seeming to dance in his spot. “Great! Great,” He gestured to a table that wasn’t very far from a fireplace, a big smile on his face. “Come, come on!” It was like he forgot about his fear then, his entire being filled with giddiness as he hurried to the table, pulling out a chair for you.

You glanced at the door, then back to Ralph. The excitement was written all over his features; eyes crinkled at the corners from his joyous smile, and his visible eye seemed to twinkle. He looked innocent, the opposite of the person who had pinned you to the wall with a knife to your throat a mere minute ago.

You saw that his expression had fallen. “Y/N?”

You found yourself missing that smile. Shaking your head, you stepped away from the wall and towards him, watching as his mouth stretched into a large grin. He pulled out a chair for himself, sitting and placing his hands onto the table. They were damaged to the point where his skin couldn’t regenerate—much like the gash on his face—showing off white endoskeleton up to his forearms as a result. You briefly wondered what exactly happened to him to have him in such a condition.

“The kind visitor will have to tell me about himself, yes… what’s the kind visitor’s name?”

“My name is Y/N. I’ve gathered that your name is Ralph?”

“Yes! Yes, Ralph.” He was more than happy to hear your name. “Y/N is a nice name, suitable for a nice person.”

“Thank you, Ralph.” You smiled and he returned with a big grin of his own.

“Ralph wonders, why did Y/N come here?”

At his question, you sat silent. Images of those men beating you, throwing you against the walls and making you fear for your life replayed in your head. You didn’t want to tell Ralph; you didn’t want to think about what those men did to you right now.

His smile disappeared, LED going yellow. “The humans hurt Y/N too, didn’t they?” You sighed and nodded, causing him to look up at you with distant eyes. “They hurt Ralph. Ralph has seen some hard times.”

“Ralph…” Your voice turned in sorrow for Ralph. He was damaged mentally and physically, but for what? What monster of a human found satisfaction in damaging an android this bad? You felt angry then. “They tell us that we’re nothing, they hurt us, all for doing what we were programmed to do. We did nothing to them, yet they continue to abuse us. Why?” Ralph only looked down, fiddling with his fingers. Slowly, you reached over and put a hand over his shaky one. He flinched but didn’t move back. “You… you didn’t deserve to get hurt so bad, Ralph.”

You removed your hand and he glanced up, a troubled look on his features “Ralph thanks Y/N. He understands. He’s good to Ralph…” You smiled at him, making him shyly look down again. “How long will Y/N be staying with Ralph?”

You hadn’t thought of that. You had just rushed to somewhere safe without knowing how long you’d be staying. “I… don’t know. I ran away, Ralph. I didn’t know where to go.”

Ralph perked up, eyes lighting up as he grinned. “Y/N can stay with me! Ralph has everything Y/N needs so that he will be comfortable and safe. Humans come in to squat from time-to-time, but Ralph just hides ‘till they’re gone!” He giggled, pleased with the scenario. “Perfect, perfect. Yes… like a little family. Ralph and Y/N… a little family.”

Your eyes widened. He seemed so eager to have you live there with him. “Ralph, I…” He hummed, still silently giggling to himself in excitement. Ralph was nice. He was troubled, sure, but there was this innocence surrounding him. He was good-natured enough to offer you a place to live. He was trusting you with that. “I don’t know if I can do that, I…”

Ralph had stopped laughing. “Why not?”

You’d be going back to a life of slavery, a life where you were inferior to humans. A life where any human could mistreat you, and you would have to stay silent. You were aware of your emotions, now. You didn’t know if you could do that--if you could continue to live a life of slavery. If you stayed, you’d be without a master, nobody to order you around. But you’d also be leaving Katherine. You’d be leaving your best friend. Looking at Ralph, he had a look of disappointment on his face. He wanted you to stay, and part of you wanted to stay as well, but the other half didn’t want to leave your best friend.

Shaking your head, you stared that the fireplace behind Ralph. “I think I have to think about it, Ralph.”

Ralph nodded and stood, shuffling on his feet. “Ralph will be patient; he will give Y/N as much time as he needs.” He stared ahead, suddenly somber. “Ralph wishes he could stay and talk, but he has things to do.”

With that, he turned and left into another room. It was just you again, lonesome in this big, dusty room.

**7:21 AM**

The windows of the house gave you a perfect view of the streets down below. It was morning, people were filling the streets as they started a new day. The weather was fine, sunny skies with a small chance of evening showers. You watched the humans, wondering in the back of your mind how it must have felt to have the ability to roam freely.

Across the street, you saw a man making angry gestures at an android, who was bent down, collecting items that had dropped on the ground. From what you could see, he was shouting. You frowned, watching as the android stood and rushed to catch up with her owner. You moved away from the window, focusing on dusting furniture with your makeshift feather duster, made from scraps of newspaper.

Soon, you were walking down the stairs, ready to check if you had missed a spot when you passed a mirror. You stopped, looking back at the mirror. Your eyes swept over your dirtied uniform, knowing that you’d be questioned if you went outside in such a state.

You had made up your mind hours ago, deciding that you wanted to go home to Katherine. It was a hard decision, but you didn’t want to leave her. Not after you’d grown so close. You wondered if she would be proud of you and your deviancy. You imagine her laughing and saying, “Finally!” A faint smile reached your face as you imagined.

You scanned over the room, everything looks fine and just a bit cleaner than before. While doing so, you caught sight of a digital book resting on a small box. You walked over and picked it up, reading the first page. An android animal zoo had been opened by CyberLife, you’ve heard this story. Swiping your hand across the tablet, your eyebrows furrowed as you read the title.

_“ANDROID ASSAULTING TWO MEN—SUSPECTED RUNAWAY”_

A news report about how an android attacked two humans out of nowhere. One victim had claimed that the android tried to strangle his friend, so he stepped in to help, but was attacked by the android as well. Something warned you about this article, but you continued reading. A few seconds later, you wished you didn’t, as the name that appeared on the screen made a wave of dread hit you.

_‘On the same night, Katherine Gordon placed a report for her missing domestic android, said to leave the house at 9 PM, at the time of the incident. Gordon claims that her android was going to a store that was located a street away from the attacks. It is suspected that Gordon’s HK400 android assaulted the two—’ _

You stopped reading.

Those men, your attackers, had claimed that_ you_ attacked _them_. Now you couldn’t go back home. It wasn’t a choice anymore.

Hearing a sudden shuffle, you turned to see Ralph in the middle of the room. He was smiling before, but it fell as he looked over your grim expression. His LED went yellow as if he shared your distress. “Is Y/N alright? He looks troubled.” His concern was evident in both his face and voice.

“I’m wanted, Ralph.” You said, glumly staring ahead. Then, panic took over. You were _wanted. _“They—they said I assaulted two humans without reason! I never did, I-I’m not like them!”

“Y/N can stay with Ralph.” He shuffled closer, eyes pleading. “Ralph can protect him, make sure no one harms him.” He grabbed your hand, interlacing your fingers with gentle but eager movements.

Feeling your hand in his made you look up, doubts beginning to melt away the longer his hands stayed connected with yours. It was sweet, comforting, as he gazed down at you with that innocence in his eyes. You felt yourself nod and squeeze his hand.

“…Okay, Ralph. I’ll stay.”

You were immediately smothered against him, feeling the sparks of excitement radiate off Ralph’s skin as he squeezed, laughing that high-pitched giggle of excitement. He began ranting off about plans, his hopes about a family, how kind you were, and it took you several seconds to return the hug.

You swayed together in a tight embrace.

  
  



End file.
